Monday, August 28, 2006

I was able to complete three chemo caps for August. This brings my total for the group in the Carolinas up to seven. I sent four last month. There are no patterns for any of them. I just cast on a number I thought would work for each yarn, and began to knit. The Cascade Pearls was the first I knit this month. The yarn was a thoughtful gift from some knitting friends. I really like the hat; the photo does not do it justice. Alright, it downright sucks and makes it look lumpy and misshapen. It really is a cute rolled brim cap. I would have taken a new picture, but I've already mailed off all the caps. The second hat is knit from Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. The blue is from Mandy, and the coral is leftover from my Thorn and Thistle top. You can see that I took these pictures while feeding the stray cats. At this point in the photo session, the cats had finished their food, thus making what I was doing of interest to them. The last cap is knit in Sassy. This is yarn is from Columbia Minerva, it is sport weight, and the content is 85% So-Lara Acrylic 15% MemorelleTM Nylon. The yarn comes from the stash; it was part of a bunch given to me by my aunt, who gathered it from unknown sources of unwanted yarn. I was unsure that I would get the last cap done. Sunday morning came, and it seemed like this was one of those where I could knit on forever, and it would never grow. I began to multitask. I was lying on the living room floor, and the Grand Prix from Istanbul, Turkey was on the television. I would sit up for awhile and knit, and then I would lie back down and knit some more. The laps were completed in the race, and the rounds of the hat were knit. The knitting was simple, and I never had to look at it. Then I began to think about the fact that I needed to exercise. Hmmm…I was still tired. I wasn’t sure what all the day would bring. I added more multitasking to the mix. No, I didn’t just think about exercising whilst knitting and watching tv. I did abdominal exercises while I knit and watched the race. I worked the abs during each commercial break, but I never stopped knitting. I would do little crunches working the upper abs or lower crunches, or any other various ways of engaging my core muscles, all the while, the knitting continued. When I needed a break from the ab work, and thought that I ought to change up what I was doing with my arms, I set the knitting down, grabbed the barbell, and used it during the advertisements. Then, I fell back asleep. There were a couple more opportunities to pick up the yarn and needles that day, and finally, I held up the work and determined that I needed the tape measure. Sure enough, it was time for the crown decreases. Unfortunately, it was dark, we were back in the car, and I didn’t have my little headlamp. So, when we got home, I was able to finish the hat. I was on the homestretch, so I just kept going until the hat was off the needles. Did I stop? No, of course not. I weaved in my ends, and had the satisfaction of one more chemo cap ready to be washed, dried, and shipped. Ah, it was a nice way to end Sunday. Monday the caps went into the wash, and then I waited for them to dry. Wednesday I made it out to the post office and the library. Someone has misplaced The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook, so I wasn't able to check out the book yet. I feel ultra productive. I just did a mini twenty minute strength workout. Next it's laundry, spinning, and aerobics--order yet to be determined.